八十
hachijū[ha̠t͡ɕiʑɨː]
The English word eighty is translated into Japanese as 八十 (hachijū).
八十 is used to represent the number 80.
Meaning: 80 (num)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the kanji for eight (八) and ten (十).
How do you pronounce it?
hachijū
Did you know?
- The number eight (八) is considered lucky in Japan because its shape widens at the bottom, symbolizing prosperity and growth. This makes 八十 a more auspicious number than 70 or 90 in certain contexts.
- While 八十 is the number 80, Japanese has a specific word for the 'eighty-year-old' stage of life that implies a transition into a venerable elder status, often celebrated with a special family gathering.
- In traditional Japanese counting, the number eighty can be part of 八十八夜 (hachijū-hachiya), the 'eighty-eighth night'. This marks a specific point in the spring calendar used by farmers to time the planting of seeds.
Examples in context
- 八十歳です。He is eighty years old.This sentence is useful for demonstrating how to express someone's age using 八十.Tatoeba #13225054 by atitarev, translation #9336022 by AlanF_US
- 八十枚のカードがあります。hachijū-mai no kādo ga arimasu.There are eighty cards.
- 八十円を払いました。hachijū-en o haraimashita.I paid eighty yen.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Himari are counting items in a shop.
- 健太 Kentaこれは八十個ですか？kore wa hachijū-ko desu ka?Are there eighty pieces of this?
- 陽葵 Himariいいえ、八十個ではありません。iie, hachijū-ko de wa arimasen.No, it is not eighty.
- 健太 Kentaじゃあ、何個ありますか？jaa, nanko arimasu ka?Then, how many pieces are there?
- 陽葵 Himari七十個です。nanajū-ko desu.There are seventy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “eighty” translations and entries 八十, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
